Bringing In New People To The Hobby

[K6GBW]

When I grew up I spent time listening to the BBC and Radio Deutsche Welle from, what then, seemed very far away. I was fascinated by the fact that I could hear a human voice from the other side of the planet. Later, in the Army, I learned to communicate hundreds of miles using little more than a wire. We had no internet, no social media, no GPS or 256 channels of television. The internet and social media has made the world seem a much smaller place. Young people can talk to others all over the world any time they like. There’s no magic anymore!

I think ham radio will become more and more populated by four wheel drivers, over landers, survivalists and preppers. It seems these days its “dangerous” to be out of communication for any length of time whatsoever. The funny thing is, I always go into the wilderness precisely so I don’t have communications. Funny how the world changes.

 

[GlobalNorth]

Amateur radio is a frustrating exercise in endless attempts to recruit more young people to the hobby. It was that way 50 years ago and nothing but the gear has changed. 80 meters is, for the most part, still a COTA band [Codgers On The Air] and I say that as a qualified member of the group - I just don't complain about my ailments into my rig or discuss politics.

Yes, young people can buy a CCP radio for little money, but most bands require decent expenditures to utilize. Some are interested in the concepts behind the electrical engineering and physics, yet a visit to most community colleges show few people in physics classes. Honestly, I don't think that the hobby would know what to do with a million or so new members.

A few of my co-workers were into it, but I had the radio curiosity from a young age. I simply lacked the time and the money together.

 

[AK9R]

When I grew up I spent time listening to the BBC and Radio Deutsche Welle from, what then, seemed very far away. I was fascinated by the fact that I could hear a human voice from the other side of the planet.

Me too, though that happened when I was an adult, but not yet a ham radio operator. During the first Gulf War, I would go to bed listening to the morning news from Kol Israel with my Radio Shack DX-390...complete with news of the latest Iraqi missile attacks. In those pre-Internet days, hearing news from that region without the filtering of U.S. news agencies made quite an impression.

Yes, young people can buy a CCP radio for little money, but most bands require decent expenditures to utilize.

I saw a post on social media yesterday from a ham who was reminding Technician license holders that 10m was open and they could be on the air making contacts. While that was a true statement, if a new ham's sole expenditure once getting licensed was to buy a $25 Baofeng, they are unlikely to be able to make FT8 contacts on 10m.

 

[Golay]

Seems the clubs with growth around me, including ours, have classes once or twice a year. We put up signs on the bulletin boards at libraries and community centers. We also post on the different Facebook pages near us. Most of our new members got their license taking one of our classes.

Another option that I've seen work is getting the Boy Scouts in the area interested in getting their license. Maybe reach out to a few troops in the area. They stay interested until they get their drivers license, then get interested in another hands on activity.

Me personally, I don't see setting up at a street fair or other public event as a big draw. We did it for years at the club I belong to.
Special event stations, etc. I don't believe we picked up a single member at those sort of venues.

 

[Kwilde]

Local club here is planning doing field day on the courthouse lawn in the center of town. Maybe we'll get a few curious passers by, if not at least there are shade trees and a few restaurants. We are also doing a little outreach by having a table at a local family fun fest. I like the Boy Scouts idea.

As far as equipment prices, I'd be surprised if todays gear is more expensive that what was offered in years gone by. Adjusted for inflation of course. And I'm talking about gear from the major suppliers, Icom, Yeasu, etc. I paid around $1,000 for an Icom 7300 (my first HF). In 1970, that would have been around $130.

 

[N4JKD]

I will worry about it ham radio failing when I hear less people on the air. Not just talking about VHF/UHF repeaters, but also HF, and digital modes like DMR, YSF, D-Star, etc. I am not sure about other places, but in my area, each time we have a testing session, there is a handful or better of people that show up each time. When I got my Amateur Extra in November, there were 8 people there to take their tests. As a VE, I will now be helping to grade those exams, and spread the word about ham radio and the importance of it. The problem today also, is that some old hams just want to do their radio work and not want to take the time to show ham radio to others. I feel like as an Amateur Extra, it is my duty to shine a positive light on ham radio and show what it can do.

 

[N4JKD]

One of the biggest things that peaks people's interest it seems as of late, is parks on the air. People out going for walks and see people with radios talking all over and curious to see what it is about. A fellow ham here was in his camper with his antennas out at a state park, running SSB and FT8, and a park ranger knocked on his door and asked what was going on, because he saw the wires strung up, and he invited the ranger in to show him what he was doing. That day, that park ranger went in not knowing what was going on, and left wanting to get his ham radio license to get involved in it all.

 

[ladn]

I feel like as an Amateur Extra, it is my duty to shine a positive light on ham radio and show what it can do.

That compass and square in your avatar explains a lot about your amateur radio philosophy !

 

[belvdr]

I feel like as an Amateur Extra, it is my duty to shine a positive light on ham radio and show what it can do.

I will admit that I bought into the ARRL's "when all else fails" initially but quickly learned it was a hoax. These days, amateur radio is down to ragchewing and the nets don't really have a purpose either, other than to check-in. To me, it became extremely repetitive and boring.

I recall trying FT8 and ended up walking away from the computer while it did the work. What's the point of that really? I keep my license so I scan while driving and that's about the extent of its usefulness to me.

 

[KMG54]

Yep, it is all old folgies if that is a word, preaching on the radio and their way or no way, they form bands of friends that just will not accept new people. At least is like that around here. Spills over to CB also, some are welcoming others think this is my channel.

 

[Token]

Simply put, some young people don't have the finances to get into the hobby. The equipment should be lower priced.

This kind of statement is made many times, and is not really any more true today than it ever has been. It has never been cheaper to get into ham radio than it is today.

Sure, my first HF setup was a home brew three tube CW transmitter and a 3rd hand Hallicrafters receiver. I built the transmitter from cast off TV scrap, I scrounged everything, and the receiver was not a ham specific receiver, just a general SW receiver (Hallicrafters SX-99) I was using for ham service. All totaled, scrap box parts, antenna wire, coax, headset, key, receiver, log books (a requirement at that time), reference material (no Internet to mine for information), etc, I was "only" into it for about $75 US. And that really was about as dirt cheap as you could possibly do it for, short of someone simply giving you gear.

So, ~$75 bucks. Obviously, it would be very hard to get into HF ham radio for $75 today, right? That was 1967. Today that ~$75 is about $670 in purchasing power. More than the average cost of a very good gaming console. There is no way that kids today can afford a gaming console, is there?

At that kind of price point you can get a decent used all mode HF/VHF/UHF transceiver and still have the funds left over to build the antennas.

So lets talk about used manufactured gear, not kit gear you had to build yourself. In 1967 the cheapest manufactured transmitter / receiver pair you could get was probably either mil surplus you would modify for ham use, say a set of ARC Command transmitter / receivers ($45+ for the hardware, pre modification) or maybe a used Viking Ranger ($50+ in need of work, $75+ in working condition) and some kind of used receiver (bottom end $25, more middle of the road at $50-75). Going the used route you could probably get on the air as cheap as $125, but probably a bit more than that. Well over $1100 in purchasing power today.

What about new gear?

In 1967 the entry level Drake pair, the "2's", ran (list prices) $230 for the 2-C receiver and $130 for the 2-NT transmitter. This got you crystal controlled (no VFO, VFO's were not legal for Novices yet) CW only on 80/40/20/15/10 meters for around $360 list price, and probably around $300 real street price. Over $2500 in purchasing power today, and still no antenna, key, headphones, books, etc.

I can hear the argument now, "but that is Drake gear, lets start with something lower cost". OK, how about entry level, the lowest end, Heathkit gear, and you build it yourself. In 1967 that would be the HR-10 receiver (catalog price $75) and the DX-60A transmitter (catalog price $80). Want the matching speaker? 7$. Want the crystal calibrator to have some idea of what frequency the HR-10 is on? $9. Want the HG-10 VFO for the transmitter, so you are not tied to whatever crystals you have? $35. Cables, keys, microphones, etc? $40. You are up to about $245 now, and you still have to build the darned thing, so don't forget the tools you need for that effort. $245 in 1967 money is about $2200 in purchasing power today. For entry level, kit hardware, in 1967.

Ham radio has always, always, been a somewhat expensive hobby.

It has always, always, been an older persons hobby. Part of that goes back to costs. Typically middle aged and older have the disposable income to drop on such a hobby. Also, they more often have the time to devote to such a hobby. Not building / raising a family, not establishing the career, not learning their place in the world.

When I went to my first club meeting in the late 1960's there were two people, me and one other, under the age of 30 present. I bet not 20% of those present were under 50. And they were lamenting the need to "get young people into the hobby".

Don't get me wrong, yes, we need young people in the hobby, but that need is not a new issue.

T!

 

[dlwtrunked]

Simply put, some young people don't have the finances to get into the hobby. The equipment should be lower priced.

??? With Baofengs (yes, I know they are not the best but they are cheap) and SDRs today, compared to the costs in the past, I do not think that is the issue.

 

[N4JKD]

I will admit that I bought into the ARRL's "when all else fails" initially but quickly learned it was a hoax. These days, amateur radio is down to ragchewing and the nets don't really have a purpose either, other than to check-in. To me, it became extremely repetitive and boring.

I recall trying FT8 and ended up walking away from the computer while it did the work. What's the point of that really? I keep my license so I scan while driving and that's about the extent of its usefulness to me.

That is what has hurt a lot, is some think ham radio is simply for emcomm's and that's it. They get their license and get a radio, and get disappointed when they don't hear apocalyptic type of talk on there 24/7. Ham radio was never meant to be a 24/7 lifeline to just get out in an emergency. It is a hobby. Ham radio is more to me than just talking. I love learning more about electric and radio theory, plus antenna building and meeting new people.

 

[WRQI583]

Imagine living in an area where anyone who sees your antennas on your vehicle asks if you are a cop or firefighter. You mention Ham Radio and they give you this contorted look and ask what that is. Out of the few guys I have talked to that around my age with an interest in radio, they tell me they don't want to get into Ham Radio because they don't want to do contesting or talking around the world, and lets face it, that is pretty much the only thing alive in Ham Radio across the board. You have pockets of local communication and other stuff going on here and there but in many places, Ham is just HF.

Kids these days see Ham Radio and only see old guys sitting around on tube radios talking around the world. There is a lot of NEW technology allowed on Ham Radio that I know the younger crowd would really flourish with, but lets face it, where do most General and above operators entice the new Hams to go to? HF! There are bands where you can create mesh networks, right on Ham Radio. This is what these younger people are going to relate to out of the whole Ham Radio world. Look at what they like already, find something that applies in the radio world and you might have a shot. Forget HF. There are enough Hams contesting down there. Show off the newer stuff that no one uses. You might just catch the right geeky crowd that will awaken those bands and keep Ham more relatable.

Of course, after that, the price of equipment must come down. When you are talking about radios that go for between $1,000 and almost $10,000, that can really turn people off. Not everyone is rich. I know they sell some lower cost entry level radios but they are just that. Entry level. To run with the big boys, its not different than CB radio. If you want to run with the big boys, you have to slap down the money for big boy toys.

 

[N4JKD]

Imagine living in an area where anyone who sees your antennas on your vehicle asks if you are a cop or firefighter. You mention Ham Radio and they give you this contorted look and ask what that is. Out of the few guys I have talked to that around my age with an interest in radio, they tell me they don't want to get into Ham Radio because they don't want to do contesting or talking around the world, and lets face it, that is pretty much the only thing alive in Ham Radio across the board. You have pockets of local communication and other stuff going on here and there but in many places, Ham is just HF.

Kids these days see Ham Radio and only see old guys sitting around on tube radios talking around the world. There is a lot of NEW technology allowed on Ham Radio that I know the younger crowd would really flourish with, but lets face it, where do most General and above operators entice the new Hams to go to? HF! There are bands where you can create mesh networks, right on Ham Radio. This is what these younger people are going to relate to out of the whole Ham Radio world. Look at what they like already, find something that applies in the radio world and you might have a shot. Forget HF. There are enough Hams contesting down there. Show off the newer stuff that no one uses. You might just catch the right geeky crowd that will awaken those bands and keep Ham more relatable.

Of course, after that, the price of equipment must come down. When you are talking about radios that go for between $1,000 and almost $10,000, that can really turn people off. Not everyone is rich. I know they sell some lower cost entry level radios but they are just that. Entry level. To run with the big boys, its not different than CB radio. If you want to run with the big boys, you have to slap down the money for big boy toys.

Yeah, I see that a lot too, but there are some that are taking a big interest in it as well. The last few testing sessions we have had, there have been at least five or six each time. We have a testing session coming up in two weeks, and curious how many will show up for it. I do agree that the cost of equipment is high, like many of the new SDR radios, you are looking at $1,200 on the low end. However, many of them work HF, VHF, UHF, digital modes and have all of the bells and whistles, but I wonder how many of them will last as long as say, my Kenwood TS-440s. It may be almost 40 years old, but still alive, kicking and making contacts worldwide.

As far as the new techy stuff...digital modes are a great way to go for the new technicians. Show them DMR, YSF, D-Star, etc. I love doing DMR when I don't do HF. It is easy, affordable and as long as the internet is up, you have worldwide communications with under 1 watt. If they get their hands wet in that, they may want to get further into stuff like FSK, PSK, RTTY, FT8 and possibly CW if they want to learn.

 

[alcahuete]

Kids these days see Ham Radio and only see old guys sitting around on tube radios talking around the world. There is a lot of NEW technology allowed on Ham Radio that I know the younger crowd would really flourish with, but lets face it, where do most General and above operators entice the new Hams to go to? HF! There are bands where you can create mesh networks, right on Ham Radio. This is what these younger people are going to relate to out of the whole Ham Radio world. Look at what they like already, find something that applies in the radio world and you might have a shot. Forget HF. There are enough Hams contesting down there. Show off the newer stuff that no one uses. You might just catch the right geeky crowd that will awaken those bands and keep Ham more relatable.

I know I have mentioned it before, probably in this very thread, but it's worth mentioning again. I actually see the exact opposite. Nobody in the general public cares about ham mesh networks. There is nobody in existence who wants to take a test and get a license to set up a mesh network, when you can do that with off-the-shelf consumer equipment, no license needed. Nobody in the general public cares about using VHF or UHF to talk across town or over the internet to far off places. Every single time we set up in the public, every Field Day, every day in the park (at least twice a month), every POTA activation, where is everybody gathered? Around the HF radios.

While not as "cool" as it might have been in the days before cell phones and the internet, there is still a draw with using a wire to talk to somebody in Africa from here in Southern California. Last Field Day, along with working every continent except Antarctica, I worked a ham friend on a tanker ship in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Eyes were wide as saucers.

The second favorite station is of course the satellite station. Still something cool about using a tiny beam antenna and a handheld to communicate with satellites.

From the Volunteer Examiner side of things, the only people who want to stay Techs. are the preppers. Counterintuitive, I know, but but they are perfectly content with a Technician license and a Baofeng, and heck, that's what the ARRL promotes, so that's their thinking. Everybody else wants to upgrade to General to really get in on the HF action. The majority of people I have VEd (again, aside from the preppers) I see taking their General at a session 2-3 months later.

Of course, after that, the price of equipment must come down. When you are talking about radios that go for between $1,000 and almost $10,000, that can really turn people off. Not everyone is rich. I know they sell some lower cost entry level radios but they are just that. Entry level.

I hear this all the time. I paid more for my first HF radio (mid 90s) than many of the radios currently available on the market. How did I do it? I worked and saved up for it! That's a concept lost on most kids these days, but that's how you do it if you want to be part of a hobby. Used radios can be had for very good prices as well. Not everybody needs the brand new top of the line model when entering a hobby.

I hear the same thing in the aviation industry all the time. It's so expensive, blah, blah, blah. Yes it is. Airplanes aren't cheap. Gas isn't cheap. It's one of the hobbies, like ham radio, that can be very expensive. Tough. That's just the way it is. It's pay to play, and most definitely not a poor man's hobby. It is not uncommon for a weekend trip to cost $1000+ for the airplane alone. Makes that $1000 radio (that can last a lifetime) pricetag seem a little silly, no? Yet guess what? We see droves of kids every day learning to become pilots.

I was a professional musician (at least part time) for most of my life. At one point, it was only a hobby. My instruments and equipment cost more than any ham radio on the market, by far. Hell, my first professional model instrument (while I was still in high school) cost roughly 10x what my first car cost!

Every hobby doesn't have to be made dirt cheap just for the sake of attracting kids. QRZ did their free radio giveaway (and might still be...I haven't checked lately) to new licensees. Did it bring new people into the hobby? I highly doubt it. I'm guessing that what it did was give new people who were obviously already interested in ham radio a free radio. Don't get me wrong, that's great! But I can't imagine that random people off the street saw a QRZ ad and said, "Wow! I wasn't planning on getting into ham radio, but now that QRZ is giving away a free radio, I think I will!" Doesn't work that way.

 

[WRQI583]

From the Volunteer Examiner side of things, the only people who want to stay Techs. are the preppers.

And then there is me. ha ha...... I do get what you are saying and it cant be any more true when it comes to most techs only being preppers. I however, am a tech and probably will be until I die, but for different reasons. If I do upgrade, I can guarantee you, I will never touch an HF band. Reason being is that unlike most people who get into the hobby because of their shortwave radio/CB radio influence that they would love to expand, I was attracted to the hobby strictly because of all of the technology and bands that a tech license covers. My influence was my scanner when I was a teenager. I started in CB radio trying to talk local and got out of it because of the "good" band conditions. What most Hams enjoy when it comes to "good" band conditions were considered bad to me. I only ever wanted to talk local, so, I found the bands where you could do that. Ham Radio. I also was amazed at the commercial world when it came to radio. Talking around the world was sort of a cool idea to me a very long time ago but its something I would do a few times and then get really bored with. I've talked to someone on CB Radio (above 40) in Germany or one of those countries over there once. Had a quick conversation and that was that. To me it seemed a waste of my time. It didn't wow me.

Its been a tough 20 something years but I find small things to do by myself. Thankfully, antenna building is one of them. My Ham antenna was built by me and I am currently designing an antenna for my GMRS radio that takes elements of a couple different antennas and puts them together. Now, taking a VHF or UHF signal and making it do something its not supposed to do? That is amazing to me. I also love studying the terrain and how signals are affected. Its something else I have done a lot of over the years.

There are quite a few that are preppers and get into it for only prepping. Personally, I don't understand why they do. You never hear them practicing over the air in case there was a real emergency. At least in Ham Radio there is some level of preparation. I have seen some right in my own state that hold tech licenses and do nothing with them. Just hold them in case of emergency. I mean, at least get out on simplex once and awhile and practice. There is more than enough room to roam, especially when it comes to the technology that Hams can play with when it comes to emergency setups. Or they could use simplex in their daily activities. Its what my wife and I do, only with GMRS, and I have to say that I am pretty impressed with her ability to operate a radio. She can be more professional than some radio operators I have encountered over the years. Sadly, in my area, we are looked at as odd for using radio. Believe me, I have tried to explain but no one understands, nor do they know what Ham Radio or GMRS is.

 

[mciupa]

Rereading the thread, I see no mention of examples of hams doing outreach, rather just their own history.

Ham radio has been around since before all of us were born and will continue after we are gone. Outreach may help, but knowing someone already involved is usually the gateway to cultivating interest in the hobby.

 

[VA3WEX]

One of the biggest things that peaks people's interest it seems as of late, is parks on the air. People out going for walks and see people with radios talking all over and curious to see what it is about.

Individuals doing POTA are likely a better form of outreach than giant Field Day setups by clubs. Too many people and too many wierd-looking antennas are probably intimidating, whereas one person is a bit more approachable. I do a lot of POTA and maybe every second time I'm out there, someone will come over and ask what I'm up to. Sadly, though, it's mostly folks 50 and up, never teens or twentysomethings.

That being said, most people have never heard of "Amateur Radio". They all have, however, heard of CB Radio so I have to explain "it's kind of like CB radio, but with more bands and frequencies". That seems to click with most people. They are impressed that you can speak to someone halfway across the continent using a radio with about the same power as a bathroom night-light.

Several folks in this thread have mentioned the idea of "there is no appeal to ham radio when you can contact someone on another continent by phone or internet". That argument is has some merit with respect to yak-in-the-shack type of amateur radio, but not entirely: a phone call or internet contact is to a specific person, but you never know who you are going to talk to when you call CQ. The complete randomness of the contacts holds some appeal.

Further, what happens with POTA (and to a greater degree SOTA) is not just the talking, but the excitement of travelling somewhere far away and to some degree awkward to get to, trying out a portable setup, and seeing if you can make ANY contact at all. The challenge is in the set up, not in the yakking.

 

[belvdr]

Several folks in this thread have mentioned the idea of "there is no appeal to ham radio when you can contact someone on another continent by phone or internet". That argument is has some merit with respect to yak-in-the-shack type of amateur radio, but not entirely: a phone call or internet contact is to a specific person, but you never know who you are going to talk to when you call CQ. The complete randomness of the contacts holds some appeal.

I think I may have mentioned something to that effect earlier. Internet Relay Chat (IRC) has been around a _long_ time and it's a way to meet random individuals too.

Further, what happens with POTA (and to a greater degree SOTA) is not just the talking, but the excitement of travelling somewhere far away and to some degree awkward to get to, trying out a portable setup, and seeing if you can make ANY contact at all. The challenge is in the set up, not in the yakking.

I'd rather hike/camp than setup a radio. I owned a KX3 and set it up when the family went to a state park. It was okay for 20-30 min, but then we wanted to explore the park, so it never piqued any more of my interest to do that. In the end, I sold all of my gear, but I'm glad it scratches an itch for you and others.